Scotland player ratings vs Belarus: Patient approach pays dividends as Clarke's men get job done in eerie atmosphere

Scotland had to make do without the noise of the Tartan Army boys for their latest World Cup qualifier - but they delivered a professional performance in the strange surroundings of an eerily quiet ZTE Arena to secure a 2-0 victory over Belarus.

The clash was staged at the neutral venue in the Hungarian town of Zalaegerszeg with no supporters in attendance. Belarus are currently banned by UEFA from staging home matches in their own country due to their government's support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Steve Clarke’s side were aiming to build on Friday’s gutsy goalless draw against Denmark to open the qualifying campaign, and the head coach delivered on his pre-match promise by making four alterations to his starting XI. Ben Gannon-Doak, Billy Gilmour, Scott McKenna and Max Johnston were all drafted in as part of a more attack-minded line-up against the lowest-ranked nation (97th) in Group C.

In what was the first competitive meeting between the two nations in 20 years, the Scots were looking to keep a third consecutive clean sheet for the first time since November 2021 following their resolute display in Copenhagen. And they did just that in a routine but important win nonetheless.

After a relatively stuffy and uneventful start, the visitors had a penalty claim waved away on 14 minutes when Gilmour broke into the penalty area before going to ground under Kirill Pechenin’s challenge. However, television replays confirmed the defender had just got his toe to the ball first.

Still smarting from their heavy 5-1 defeat to Greece on matchday one, Belarus gave the Scots a scare of their own moments later when Pechenin’s header from a corner had Angus Gunn scrambling down low to his right to make a save.

Gannon-Doak was proving a real livewire on the left wing for Scotland and he sparked a quick counter-attack after keeping the ball in play under pressure before releasing Che Adams. The ball eventually found its way to Gilmour whose strike from the edge of the box was smothered comfortably by the goalkeeper.

Johnston’s excellent volleyed pass into a great area found Scott McTominay, who poked the ball towards the bottom corner only for it to roll inches wide of the post as Scotland kept probing for the opener.

They were denied another penalty shout when McTominay was tripped on the left-hand side of the box, but the referee bizarrely awarded Belarus a free-kick instead.

Belarus - who had lost 12 of their past 13 World Cup qualifiers and shipped 27 goals in the process during that run - threatened again after some slack defending from Johnston allowed Max Ebong in behind. He raced through on goal but was thwarted by Gunn at his near post.

A moment of concern for Clarke and his players. But worry not. They did eventually break the deadlock two minutes before half-time when John McGinn’s terrific cross towards the back post was met in the air by McTominay. The Napoli star cushioned a header back across goal where Adams was lurking to slide home his 10th goal for his adopted country.

Gilmour then saw a low drive pushed onto the post by Fedor Lapoukhov as the visitors finished the half strongly. Scotland picked up from where they left off after the restart as the unmarked McTominay connected with another pinpoint McGinn delivery, but the midfielder’s header lacked precision and the necessary power to trouble the keeper.

Clarke was seeking that insurance policy of a second goal and it arrived on 65 minutes when a delightful dinked pass from Torino frontman Adams over the hosts backline was headed back across goal by the lively Gilmour and Zakhar Volkov’s attempted clearance resulted in him nodding the ball into his own net.

And the Scots almost had a third goal with ten minutes remaining when Lapoukhov raced off his line to deny McGinn’s effort on the stretch before Adams latched onto Robertson’s low cross and took the ball round the keeper, but his shot was hooked off the line by a covering defender.

But this was a case of job done to round off a successful international break for Clarke’s men. Two goals. Another clean sheet. Four points on the board. Plenty of confidence to carry into next month’s double-header.

Here is how the Edinburgh Evening News rated the players.